Bound By His Desire (2 page)

‘Are you ready?’ The words were whispered close to her ear and her senses fired to life like fireworks going off on New Year’s Eve. She was twenty-eight and she’d never felt like this. Even when she’d been seeing Wayne, and he had been the man she’d almost given her virginity to. Wayne had dumped her when he’d finally grasped that instead of being a wealthy woman on her mother’s death, in all likelihood Pam would be struggling to make ends meet, which was how it had turned out. After the hurt had subsided, she’d been glad she hadn’t slept with him. Especially when she’d heard, through friends, he’d been sleeping around on her and bragging that she was going to be his meal ticket and he’d put up with her boring personality and plain looks.

It wasn’t like she’d been saving her virginity for any special reason. Life had happened and she’d decided she needed to lose it before she turned thirty. Nothing worse than being thirty and still a virgin. She thought Wayne could be the one, because when he kissed her she’d felt more excited than she had with any of the other men who had kissed her. Not that she could call being kissed by five guys a lot of experience. She hadn’t had too many opportunities to date through school because her mother had disapproved of it, had threatened to kick her out if she let a boy influence her. She didn’t want Pam getting distracted from her studies by boys who were after only one thing. Her mother kept drumming it into her until the thought of dating, and the consequences she could face, scared her more than it did her mother. When she’d started working she’d gone on the occasional date, but they’d never developed into anything serious. Always, in the back of her mind, she remembered her mother’s bitterness towards men and her warnings to never become a slave to a man’s needs. Her mother tarred all men with the same brush as her father, who’d run off with a waitress from a gentlemen’s club when Pam had only been thirteen.

Then, when she turned twenty-three, she thought she could move out and start her own life. Still her mum seemed to control Pam’s life. Mum had gotten sick, and life had become all about work and taking care of her ailing mother. Now her mum had gone and she potentially had no job, because with Jasmine leaving she felt she had no other option but to resign. Did she really fit into the glamour of Morelli Corporation? The only reason she’d been accepted was because of Jasmine. She really shouldn’t resign, not when she had debt collectors banging on her door every week chasing payment for her mum’s medical expenses. Did they have no sympathy? Why couldn’t they give her a little time to sort out all her finances? She had plans to pay them — eventually. But what choice did she have?

Yes, she really was doing a great job with her life right now.

‘Pam?’

Nick’s voice again pulled her from her thoughts. She’d been sitting there pondering the mess her life was, Nick had been standing beside her waiting for a response. He must think her so vague.

She summoned up a smile and took the hand he held out. ‘Yep, let’s do this.’

Pam couldn’t describe what it felt like to be held in Nick’s arms. It was like Christmas and her birthday all wrapped into one. His hand warmed the bare flesh of her back. His other hand held hers loosely, and all she wanted to do was lay her head on the solid strength of his chest. She wanted his arms to pull her close so his heat and strength enveloped her. She wanted Nick to kiss her.

The thought of his lips taking possession of hers had her heart rate increasing and she stumbled. Nick tightened his hold and pulled her closer, just as she’d wished only seconds ago.

‘Are you okay?’ he murmured against her hair.

Words were impossible so she just nodded. All too soon the music merged into another song; instead of letting her go, Nick still held her. They danced a couple more songs together. Words weren’t spoken between them. A silence enveloped them in its sweet embrace. To Pam it didn’t feel awkward at all — it felt nice.

‘Do you want to get some fresh air?’

The question came out of the blue, and Pam leaned back to look up into Nick’s eyes. They were like pools of melted chocolate, a chocolate so tempting she felt she could dip into it and taste the sweetness.

‘Sure.’

Nick fingers entwined with hers and together they made their way through the crowd, towards a side door. He held the door open and she walked out ahead of him. The night had cooled; she shivered, wishing she’d thought to swing by the table and pick up her wrap. She heard the soft rustle of fabric, and in the next instant warmth cloaked her as Nick wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. She snuggled into the satin lining. The spicy scent of his aftershave floated up and surrounded her. She could stand shrouded in his jacket all night.

‘Thank you.’

He inclined his head and gripped the top railing of the decorative wrought-iron fence surrounding the balcony.

They stood like that for a few minutes; this silence wasn’t as comfortable as the silence that had encased them when they’d been dancing. Pam opened her mouth to say she needed to get inside, when Nick spoke.

‘I’ve got a proposition for you.’

It was the last thing she expected to hear from Nick and she didn’t know what he meant. Did he want to see her again? Did he want to sleep with her? She almost laughed out loud at the thought. No way he would ever want that to happen. She was pretty sure she wasn’t his type at all. ‘What sort of proposition?’

She could hear the uncertainty in her own voice. She hated sounding like a naïve idiot. Why couldn’t she be confident and coquettish and bat her eyelids at him? Say something flirtatious like,
Whatever you’re proposing, the answer is yes.
But she wasn’t like that. She didn’t have the confidence to carry off something so forward.

‘I know you’re looking for a job. You alluded to that earlier, after the ceremony.’

A little part of her started to cry on the inside. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise he wouldn’t want to see her after the wedding, or even kiss her or take her to bed. No doubt he knew beneath the gloss of the hair and make-up and beautiful dress lurked ordinary, reliable Pamela, called on by everyone when they had a problem to be solved.

‘Yes, that’s true. What’s it to you?’ Wow, she shocked herself with her bitchy comeback. She put it down to the disappointment slowly building inside of her. In the muted glow of the balcony, she couldn’t tell whether her response surprised him or not.

‘Well, I happen to be in need of an assistant and wondered if you may be interested, but now I’m not so sure.’

He wanted her to be his assistant? The man who was Luciano’s business partner wanted her to work for him. She so didn’t see that one coming. And she knew the reason for his reluctance in offering her the job was because of what she’d said to him. It was probably just a pity offer anyway, but it wouldn’t hurt to find out a little more about it. She knew he’d flown in from overseas just for the wedding; perhaps there could be travel involved, that would definitely enable her to tick off one of the boxes on her new life to-do list.

Pam knew before she could ask about the specifics of the job, she needed to apologise for her outburst.

‘I’m sorry, Nick, I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did. Put it down to still being stressed about organising the wedding and making sure it all runs smoothly. But if I can go back and answer your original question again, the answer would be — yes I am going to be in the market for a new job. Do you know of one that’s available?’

Pleasure quickly replaced her disappointment when Nick laughed and lightly touched her arm. ‘Now, that is a better response, and I accept your apology.’

‘Thank you. So you need an assistant, what will the job entail?

Pam wasn’t sure she was suitably qualified for the position. Yes, she’d been Jasmine’s assistant, but Jasmine had been the Director of Marketing. Nick’s assistant would be required to do a hell of a lot more than her previous job had involved.

‘You’ll be required to do the usual things like vet emails and calls, deal with responses to invites, organise my day so that it runs smoothly, attend meetings, take notes, etc. But what I’m really after is someone who can keep her focus entirely on the job and not get distracted by me.’

She took a step back. What the heck did he mean by that comment? Had he just insulted her, subtly? Or was it a warning of some sort?

‘I’m sorry, but what do you mean by “get distracted by me”?’

Pam watched in amazement as Nick seemed to squirm, almost embarrassed by her question and what he’d said to her. She had to be imagining it. No way could this man, who had confidence oozing out of him, be embarrassed.

‘I’ve had to fire the last two assistants I’ve had because they had grand ideas about falling in love with me. The last one used her position to try and entice me to fall for her, and when I wouldn’t take the bait, she gave highly confidential information to a person who used it to their advantage. Her desire to “make me pay” for not seducing her has led to the untenable situation I’m currently in with our latest deal. I feel confident you won’t get any ideas of trying to lure me into the marriage trap. A trap I have no intention of falling into anyway, which is why I think you’d be perfect for the job. You dress the part of an assistant and have a quiet efficiency about you, which suggests your focus is definitely on the job and not on your love-life.’

Right on the heels of remembering her failed relationship with Wayne. Nick’s words stung, and they weren’t meant as a boost to her self-confidence. He made her sound like the most boring person on earth, and she’d had enough of their conversation. Not on her life would she work for a man who had such a big ego.

She slipped off the coat he’d given her and held it out towards him. ‘Thanks, but I don’t think I want to work for someone who thinks all I can bring to a job is efficiency because I’m a plain Jane and dress conservatively. Tell me, Mr Nick Rhodes, did all your other assistants dress the part and look efficient, or did they all wear designer clothes with designer haircuts that cost more than a week’s pay?’ She paused a moment to catch her breath. She was on a roll and she wasn’t planning on stopping, even if it meant she’d just killed her hopes of ever getting a job again. At this moment in time she didn’t care if she had to be a check-out chick at the local supermarket. ‘I don’t imagine a person in your position wants an unattractive, boring assistant, but you’ve just basically told me that’s what I’d be and that’s the only reason you’re offering me the job.’

Mortification swept over her, her vision blurred by the tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn’t going to let Nick see them, so she whirled around and all but ran through the doors. Once she got inside the ballroom, she stopped and took a moment to catch her breath, willing the tears not to fall. She needed to get to a bathroom quickly.

Pam headed in the direction she needed to go with her head down, not wanting anyone to see her. She walked out of the ballroom and towards the hallway where the bathrooms where located. One tear slid down her cheek and she swiped at it, as if it was an annoying fly. If only she could swipe away the hurt that easily. She’d known she wasn’t attractive, but today she’d felt beautiful and Nick had crushed it with a few simple words.

Pam was reaching out to open the door when someone grabbed her arm and turned her around so quickly she gave a little yelp in surprise. She found herself wrapped up against a warm, hard chest. A chest she recognised because she’d wanted to lay her head on it earlier.

‘Wha — ’

‘I’m sorry.’

Pam pulled back a bit so she could lift her head and look into Nick’s face. ‘Pardon?’

‘What I said to you was unforgiveable. I don’t think you’re plain at all. You look absolutely stunning today.’

For a moment there she thought Nick was on the right track, and then he had to say she looked stunning — today. Of course she looked stunning today, she’d had professionals work on her hair and make-up and had on a designer dress. Anyone would look stunning after that treatment. If he’d just told her he thought she was beautiful then she’d probably believe he truly meant his apology.

‘Yes, today I look stunning. I had help, but you know what? It doesn’t matter what you think. I won’t work for you, Nick.’

She made a move to step out of his embrace, but instead of loosening his hold, Nick tightened it.

Pam’s breath caught in her throat as he reached out and caught the tear that had fallen from her eye.

‘Don’t cry,’ he said on a whisper, as he leaned forward and kissed the spot where he caught the tear. Her skin tingled and the hair on her arms stood to attention. ‘I don’t usually make women cry.’ He peppered each word with a kiss down her cheek until the last one landed on the side of her mouth.

She froze, unsure what was going to happen next. She could turn her head a fraction and their lips would collide. She’d already decided she wasn’t going to work for him. What would it matter if she gave into the little part of her that wanted to know what he tasted like? The little part of her that wanted to know what it would be like to be kissed by a wealthy, gorgeous man. The little part of her that wanted to know what it felt like to be desired.

‘Nick?’ She whispered his name and he knew exactly what she was asking for. He moved the millimetres needed and melded her lips with his.

His touch was gentle, testing the waters to see if she would pull back and slap him for being forward. She wasn’t going to do that. She wanted this kiss. She’d asked him for it. She pushed her breasts against his chest and his arms tightened their hold on her. His lips moved over hers, enticing hers to open beneath his. She did. As his tongue slipped between her teeth, Pam wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers entwining into his hair to keep him from moving away from her.

Her nipples peaked against her dress and she wanted Nick’s hand to move from her back and cup them. Feel the fullness of her breast and tease her nipple until she was crying out in desire. His body stirring to life against her belly gave her the power to get up on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss even further. Everything she did, every action, was purely on instinct, not experience. Feelings were overtaking her sensibilities.